Thb national lithoafwphing coi



(No Model.) 2A Sheets-Sheet 1.

C. BENESH.

HAND GAR.

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(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

C. BENESH..

HAND GAR.

No. 514,844. Patented Feb. 13; 1894.

me NATwNAL LITHQGMPHING coMPANY.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES BENESH, OF WAHPETON, NORTH DAKOTA, ASSIGNOR -OF ONE- HALF TO CHARLES A. HARRISON, OF SAME PLACE.

HAND-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,844, dated February 13, 1894.

Application filed November 7| 1893. Serial No. 490,262. i (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES BENEsH, a

kcitizen of the United States, residing at Wahpeton, in the county of Richland and State of North Dakota, have invented a new and use-` ful Combined Hand and Push Car, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in hand-cars; the objects in view being to provide a cheap and simple construction vof handcar adapted to be conveniently operated and capable of being converted from such to a.

:view of the car converted into a push-car.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the same. Fig. 6 is audetail in perspective of the socket-bar for receiving the feet of the powerframe.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings. n

In the practice of my invention I employ the usual truck-frame, which, in the present instance, comprises the opposite longitudinal side beams 1 and the transverse end connecting-beams 2. Over the frame thus constructed I arrange a platform v3, said platform having at its center an oblong opening 4 over which is located the hereinafter described hand-power.

The under sides of the beams 1 are provided with the usual journal-boxes 5, and in the same are journaled the front and rear transverse axles 6 whose ends project beyond the framework and accommodate the anged wheels 7 which are made secure upon the axles so that the same revolve therewith.

In journals 8 located midway the truckframe, and transversely opposite each other,

there is located forrotation a countershaft 9 which extends under and transverse the opening 4 in the platform. This countershaft is further braced between its ends by a bearing-hanger 10 secured to the under side of the platform and employed for preventing the shaft from springing. The shaft has arranged thereupon a sprocketswheel 11, and a similar though smaller sprocket-wheel 12, is located upon one of the axles 6. These two wheels are connected by au intermediate sprocket-chain 13, so that motion may be conveyed from the countershaft 9 to the driveaxle of the truck. The countershaft 9 is further provided with a small spur-gear 14 located under the opening 4 in the platform.

The opening 4 inthe platform has located at opposite ends transverse metal plates 15 and 16, the former being of L-shape in transverse section and having its vertical portion provided with sockets 17, and the latter plate provided with perforations or bolt-holes for the accommodation of bolts 18 removably are ranged therein.

The framework for the hand-power comprises opposite side-frames 19 of substantially U-shape, the same terminating at their ends iu feet. These frames are connected by suitable cross-beams, whereby a rigid frame is produced. Two of the feet are perforated s0 as to align with the perforations in the plate 16v and receive the bolts 18, whereby they are connected to said plates 16. The opposite or remaining feet are inserted removably in the socket 17 of the plate 15, so that when inserted and the bolts are placed in position, the power-frame is rigidly mounted upon the truck. At the same time it will be seen that by simply removingthe two bolts the aforesaid power-frame, together with the mechanism carried thereby, may be readily removed, and after such removal the plates 15 andvl being slinken in the upper surface of the platform at the ends of the opening 4, said opening may be covered by means of a removable trap 20. The upper sides of the frames 19 are provided with bearings 21,and in the same a transverse rock-shaft 22 is located, from which projects a rock-arm 23 and a rocking-lever 24, the latter extending at opposite sides of the shaft and beyond `the power-frame, where it is provided with transverse handles 25. In opposite timbers of the frames 19 I journal a transverse shaft 26,the same having at one side of its center a large spur-gear 27 which projects through the opening 4 in the platform and removably engages with the spur-gear 14 of the transverse countershaft 9. The shaft 26 is at the opposite sidesof its center at which the gear 27 is located provided with a cranked-portion 28, and a connecting-rod 29 loosely connects the aforesaid crank portion 28 with a perforation formed in the extremity of the rock-arm 23.

It will be obvious that two operators standing at opposite sides or ends of the frames 19 and grasping the handle-bars 25 may by raising and lowering the same alternately cause the connecting-rod 29 to operate the crank of the shaft 2G, thus rotating the large gear 27 and imparting motion to the smaller gear 14, which will be more rapidly rotated, as will be obvious. This rotation of the gear 14 causes the countershaft t) to rotate together with the sprocket-wheel 11, and, as before stated, the rotary motion of the latter is transmitted to the sprocket-chain 13 and the axle 6 through the medium of the intermediate sprocket-chain 13. The device is thus designed to serve as a hand-car, and it will be found efficient for its purpose. If, however, it is desired to convert the saine into a push-car, the bolts 18 are removed and the frames 19 withdrawn from engagement with the sockets 17 of the plate 15. The power-frame is now laid aside and the trap 20, heretofore referred to, substituted for the power-frame, and as will be obvious, closes the opening Lt in the platform, so that apractically smooth unbroken platform is provided.

I prefer to locate at the opposite edges of the truck inverted L-shaped brackets 30, the same having perforations as shown, and to support thereon opposite horizontal fenders 3l, which are perforated to receive bolts that pass therethrough and through the brackets 30. These fenders are located above and extend out from the car slightly beyond the wheels and may have depending from their outer edges curtains or guards 32. They are employed when the car is converted into a push-car and for the purpose of preventing dirt and gravel falling from the car to the journals.

I do not limit my invention to the exact details of construction herein shown and described, but hold that I may vary the same to any degree and extent within the knowledge of the skilled mechanic, without departing from the spirit thereof or sacrificing any of the advantages.

I-Iaving described my invention, what I claim is 1. The hand-car having the opening in its platform, provided with sockets in one edge the transverse axles having wheels, the transverse countershaft below the opening, means for conveying motion from the countershaft to one of the axles, a removable hand-power frame arranged upon the platform and adapted to operate the conntershaft, and provided at its lower end at one side with horizontal feetfor engaging the sockets, and means for securing the opposite end of the frame to the opposite edge of the opening in the platform substantially as specified.

2. In ahand-car, the combination with the frame-work, the platform having an opening provided with front and rear plates, one of said plates having bolt-holes and the other sockets, the transverse axles, and the wheels, of a power-frame arranged upon the platform and terminating in feet, two of which engage the sockets in the plate, the remaining feet being perforated, bolts passed through the latter feet into the perforations of the remaining feet, and means for communicating motion from the power carried by the frame to the axle, substantially as specified.

3. In a hand-car, the combination with the frame-work, the platform having an opening provided with front and rear countcrsunk plates one of said plates having bolt-holes and the other sockets, the transverse axles, and the wheels, of a power-frame arranged upon the platform and terminating in feet, two of which engage the sockets in the plate, the remaining feet being perforated, bolts passed through the latter feet into the perforations of the remaining feet, means for communicating motion from the power carried by the frame to the axle, L-shaped brackets extending from the sides of the truck, fenders arranged uponthe brackets, and curtains depending from the outer edges of the fenders, substantially as specified.

4c. In a hand-car, the combination with the truck frame, platform, axles, wheels, the

sprocket-wheel on one of the axles, the trans-4 verse countershaft arranged under an opening in the platform of the par, the sprocketwheel on said countershaft, the intermediate chain between the sprocket-wheel and that of the axle, and the spur-gear arranged on the countershaft under the opening in the platform,of the superimposed inverted U-shaped frames mounted on the platform, the rockshaft journaled therein, the hand-levers arranged upon the rock-shaft, the rock-arm carried by the rock-shaft, a connecting-rod de pending loosely from the rock-arm, a crankshaft journaled in the frames and connected with the connecting-rod, and a large gear mounted on the crank-shaft and engaging the small gear of the countershaft, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signaturein the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES BENESH.

Witnesses:

C. H. SMITH, JOHN SHIPPAM.

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